WHO warns Israeli incursion into Rafah would be a ‘bloodbath’
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned an Israeli incursion into Rafah would put the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians at risk and turn into a “bloodbath” with the health system in shambles, Al Jazeera reported on Friday.
Israel has reportedly given Hamas one week to agree to a truce and prisoner-captive exchange deal, threatening it will begin its ground invasion of Rafah otherwise.
Egyptian officials conveyed this message from Israeli leaders to the armed Palestinian group on Thursday, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited unnamed Egyptian sources briefed on the matter.
Publicly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to promise an invasion of Rafah regardless of a deal with Hamas. The Palestinian group has said it’s “looking positively” at the latest proposals mediated through Egypt.
An earlier news report said CIA Director William Burns is now in Cairo, and a Hamas delegation is expected soon as well.